Birshatar
Birshatar, formally the Ba'athist Republic of Birshatar, is a country in the northeastern Toy Islands bordering Muzaffaridistan, Waqata and Drondaria. The capital is Haljarah and the largest city is Kharji. The majority of the population of over 60 million is made up of Arab immigrants, and the country is officially a Ba'athist republic. Birshatar was first colonised by the French in 1678, but only became a major population centre in the 19th century when large numbers of Arab immigrants arrived in the region. In 1946, the Birshatari War of Independence began when Fayiz Samara declared Birshatar an independent country, and French troops left in 1953. After the revolution, the country became part of the non-aligned movement, but gradually grew closer to the Tabi'atstani bloc. Officially, Birshatar follows a Ba'athist ideology. However, it has ceased to encourage the formation of a pan-Arab state since the 1970s. Although it is allied with Tabi'atstan, it maintains a highly independent foreign policy, and did not become involved in the SNA-NGL War. Since the Muzaffaridistani Islamic Revolution of 1996, both Birshatar and Muzaffaridistan have established substantial influence over Waqatan affairs, and use the country as a buffer zone and balance against Drondaria, which is aligned with the Barbergen Zone. Birshatar is a member of several international organisations, including the United Nations and the Alliance of Toy Islands. Geographically, Birshatar is comprised of a large archipelago with many small islands. Most of the country is covered in desert, and the climate has a Köppen climate classification of Csa. Much of the country's water supply is derived from large desalination plants located on the coast. The majority of the Birshatari economy is based around the oil industry, although there is also a strong fishing industry. The economy is highly regulated by the government, and the oil industry is entirely state-owned. However, there are many private businesses, particularly in the tourism and food production sectors. History Colonisation After the end of the Franco-Dutch War in 1678, the Kingdom of France set up a colony in Birshatar, hoping to surround the Dutch in the Toy Islands and reduce their sphere of influence. Due to the harsh climate, the colony did not grow to a large size, and the population remained quite small. Arabisation By the 19th century, France desired to make its colony in Birshatar profitable, and to this end brought Arab slaves to assist in the building of this settlement in the harsh Birshatari desert. In the 19th century, many Arabs from the Levant started emigrating to foreign countries, with one major destination being Birshatar. At this point in history, Lebanon and Syria were ruled by the Ottoman Empire, with Arabs leaving due to religious persecution, overpopulation in Lebanon, and conscription in both Lebanon and Syria. Furthermore, large numbers of Hadhrami Arabs also emigrated to the Toy Islands during this time period. By 1870, Arabs had become the dominant ethnic group in Birshatar. World War I Interwar years World War II Birshatari War and Independence In 1946, Fayiz Samara declared the independence of the Birshatari archipelago from France, sparking the Birshatari War of Independence. On the 17th January 1953, French troops withdrew from Birshatar, and Samara announced the formation of the Ba'athist Republic of Birshatar. Cold War Following independence, Birshatar initially pursued a policy of non-alignment to prevent itself from becoming a pawn in Cold War politics. However, due to poor relations with France and to a certain extent the rest of the Western world, Birshatar began to take Soviet leanings, although it did not become a Marxist state. Birshatari relations took another drastic turn in 1964, the year of the Sino-Soviet split. Acting pragmatically, President Samara attempted to foster better relations with the USSRT, whose relations with the Soviet Union were beginning to cool. Samara chose to align the Ba'athist Republic of Birshatar with the USSRT because of its geographical proximity, due to the fact that immediate aid would be required in the case of hostilities with either the politically unstable Republic of Waqata or the rabidly anti-Arab Imperial State of Muzaffaridistan. However, despite close ties between Tabi'atstan and Birshatar, Birshatar did not become a Tabi'atstani satellite state, preferring to remain non-aligned in the Cold War environment. On the 5th April 1989, Birshatari troops were deployed in Waqata under the guise of the Northern Deterrent Force to support NAME's military government there. Modern era Following the Islamic revolution in Muzaffaridistan in 1996, the new Muzaffaridistani government attempted to normalise relations with Birshatari government. The Birshatari government was happy to oblige, as this would end Birshatar's long running major security concern. Apart from this, the ruling class of Birshatar were primarily Alawites, who wanted to gather more religious legitimacy to help pacify the majority Sunni Muslims and Twelver Shia Muslims. The two countries signed a Treaty of Friendship in 1999. Geography Birshatar is an archipelago centred on two main islands, with most of its territory being composed of deserts. Buhkerdah and Tabnajkah have large swamps whilst Birkunen and Sadirabh have mountain ranges where temperatures can be much lower than the rest of the country. Overall, the country has a Köppen climate classification of BSh (hot semi-arid). Politics and government The Birshatari National Assembly is split between the National Alliance for Progress and various independent candidates. The NAP consists of the Arab Socialist Ba’ath Party - Birshatar Region, the Birshatari Socialist Party, the Birshatari Communist Party, the Union of Birshatari Social Democrats, the Birshatari People’s Party, the Birshatari Social Nationalist Party, and the Iihya Movement. Law and crime Law enforcement Civilian law enforcement in Birshatar is primarily the responsibility of the Birshatari Police Force. Other additional law enforcement agencies include the Gendarmerie, the Frontier Desert Guard, and the Mobile Force. The country has various intelligence agencies, including the General Intelligence Directorate and the Special Security Agency. Human rights The Birshatari government has occasionally been criticised by the international community for not respecting or protecting human rights. Torture is used by the security forces to extract information from suspects, and prison conditions are notoriously poor. The Republican Guard is known for using heavy handed tactics in putting down protests and internal dissent. Military The Birshatari Armed Forces are composed of the regular armed forces (Army, Navy, and Air Force) and various paramilitaries; the Republican Guard, the Fedayeen Samara, and the People's Militia. The Republican Guard and People's Militia are meant to support the regular armed forces during wartime as well as act as a counterweight against them (the Republican Guard takes direct orders from the President rather than the Armed Forces command). Since 1989, the Birshatari Armed Forces have maintained an occupation force in Waqata in the form of the Northern Deterrent Force (NDF). The NDF has mostly limited its activities to the northeastern shore of the Waqatan mainland and the northeastern islands, and operates with the grudging support of the Waqatan government. Foreign relations Administrative divisions Birshatar is divided into 6 muhafazah: Birkunan, Buhkerdah, Mogadir, Sadirabh, Shuhia Taiba, and Tabnajkah. Economy By virtue of the country's large oil reserves, the Birshatari economy is primarily based around the export of crude oil and its refined products. Most Birshatari oil is handled and exported from the port city of Kharji, located in Sadirabh. Although oil is the country's main export product, much of the electrical generation in Birshatar is done in hydroelectric plants. All major coastal cities in Birshatar have their own desalination plants and export excess water to other cities in the country. 87.5% of the population has regular access to clean water, with the rest mostly living in rural areas. Apart from oil, the other major industry in Birshatar is fishing. Historically, this has been a source of tension between Birshatar and Muzaffaridistan, with fishermen on both sides violating the naval border between Buhkerdah in Birshatar and Derakht in Muzaffaridistan. Skirmishes have also occured in the east with Waqata regarding border and fisheries issues. Transport The majority of transport in Birshatar is handled by inter-island ferries and other ships. Inland travel primarily relies on the road network, although there is also a national railway system. Numerous bridges allow for inter-island transport by land transportation. Air transport is well developed in Birshatar, and the country boasts several international airports. Air transport is displacing sea transport in terms of transport of people, although ships remain an important mode of transport in Birshatar due to the lower costs of transporting large loads by sea. Demographics Ethnic groups The original Arab immigrants in Birshatar came from French colonies such as Algiers and were brought in during the early 19th century. A second influx of Arab immigrants coming from the Levant area arrived in the latter half of the 19th century. Arabs form some 87% of the population, with the other 13% being composed of Muzaffaridistanis, Africans from the Maticoundan archipelago, and other expatriates. Religion The majority of Birshataris (45%) are Sunni Muslims, with the second largest group being Twelver Shia Muslims (21%). Another 20% are Christians, primarily of the Maronite (11%) and Coptic (6%) groups. Alawites make up 6% of the population, but most of the government and ruling class are Alawites. There is a small Druze minority that comprises 3% of the population. The remaining 5% of the Birshatari population identify with other religions or are atheists. Languages The official language of Birshatar is Arabic. Whilst Modern Standard Arabic is used in most official contexts, the majority of the population typically speaks varieties of Mashriqi Arabic. In Buhkerdah, Farsi Persian is also spoken by a minority of residents. Aside from Arabic, English is also used in official documents and road signs. Although Arabic is the official language, private educational institutions are also allowed to use other languages of instruction, with this right being enshrined in the law. Largest cities The two largest cities in Birshatar are Kharji and the capital, Haljarah. Kharji is a sea port responsible for the export of much of Birshatar's oil, and also houses several large refinery complexes. Some of the crude oil loaded on ships in Kharji is also transported to refineries in Sutaq. Education Health Culture Arts Popular culture Sports Cuisine Category:States Category:Alliance of Toy Islands Category:Birshatar